Each had been under fire after a video surfaced showing them partying and relaxing last May in Fort Lauderdale - at one point showing Rothwell stumbling naked onto a balcony in public view. A private investigator, hired by other county workers, followed the four with a camera when they were scheduled to attend a hurricane preparedness conference.

The trip cost taxpayers about $3,850 in expenses for hotel rooms, vehicle mileage and meals.

County Manager Ted Selby said he hasn't been able to recoup that money, but because of the circumstances of each administrator's departure, taxpayers will keep roughly $34,000 worth of accrued vacation time that the four would have been owed if they'd resigned in good standing.

A criminal investigation remains ongoing, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement spokesman said Friday. Selby would not comment on whether that probe could force payback of the travel expenses or hurt the administrators' standing in the Florida Retirement System. As of Friday, Selby said each was vested in the state pension system.

The three fired administrators have a five-day appeal period.

John Cascone, a lawyer Selby said is representing the four and who accompanied Rothwell to give her resignation, did not return phone calls Friday. The four administrators also could not be reached.

Roger Horton, a 63-year-old Nassau County resident who said he's been frustrated with the county's notorious system of political favors, said the firings and resignation have snapped a lengthy losing streak for whistle-blowers and gadflies who have been trying to clean things up for years.

"People say I have an ax to grind. I do. I grind it a little more every time I pay taxes," Horton said. "They've always swept things under the rug here. This time, people are standing on the rug and they can't lift it."

Selby said the video, which was turned over to Sheriff Tommy Seagraves, was not the basis of his decision to fire Hartman, Salmon and Pickett. He said the attendance records at the conference showed the administrators skipped some of the training sessions - the very reason they were reimbursed for their travel.

County Commissioner Barry Holloway said he'd taken roughly 50 phone calls from concerned residents. Regardless of whether any crime had been committed, he said something had to be done.

"Public officials have to be held to a higher standard. We speak for the people," Holloway said. "When you go out into public and change that, the trust is gone."

Combined, the four were paid about $255,000 a year. Selby said he's assigned other workers to cover the workload, but he plans to fill the positions soon.

With the exception of Salmon, whose personnel file showed good reviews with no disciplinary actions, there have been problems with Rothwell, Pickett and Hartman in the past.

Rothwell's tenure managing animal control and code enforcement at the same time in 2007 stirred controversy and allegations of mismanagement, but her personnel file revealed satisfactory performance reviews and no reprimands.

Pickett's file showed a verbal reprimand in 1999 for excessive use of sick time and another one in 1996 for insubordination.

Hartman was given a written reprimand in 1995 for trying to provoke a fight and was given a verbal warning in 1996 for leaving a lawn tool on a truck.

Last September, Hartman's unionized staff revolted, saying he forced them to do county work on their time. Hartman was kept on the job, but with a directive from other county officials to improve the office.

Hartman, Salmon and Pickett were each sent a written notice of termination citing "a lack of confidence in your ability to perform your duties. ... I [Selby] have concluded that you willfully submitted a travel reimbursement request, which inaccurately reflected in a material manner your entitlement to reimbursement for travel expenses."

County Clerk John Crawford had been investigating the trip independently. He said Friday he will keep that investigation going to look for better ways for employees to request and document their business travel.

"We want to make sure this isn't wasted, that there's still a positive that comes out of this for the taxpayers," Crawford said.